Shaw: Saints are back on the up

Luke Shaw hopes that Saints’ Boxing Day victory over Cardiff is a sign of a change in fortunes for the team.

Before that trip to South Wales, Shaw and his teammates had been on a six-game winless streak and were without a clean sheet since the end of October.

But three goals inside the opening half-hour put Southampton on their way to a vital victory that ensures the side will end the year in the top ten of the Barclays Premier League table.

And Shaw feels that result against the Bluebirds will send the team into this Sunday’s trip to Everton in high spirits.

“To go three-nil up in the first 30 minutes showed what a top team we are,” the young full-back told Saints Player earlier today.

“It was a great win, and it was good to keep a clean sheet as well. It was one of our biggest games of the season.

“We’ve gone through a bad patch but hopefully we’ve now come out of that and things will be good from now on.

“We’ve come off the back of a 3-0 win and a clean sheet while [Everton] have just had a bad result, so hopefully they’re going through the bad patch that we’ve just been through.

“They’ve been very good this season and have been challenging in the top five, so we know it’s going to be a very tough game, especially with them being at home.

“I think they’ve only lost one of the last 30-odd games there, so it’s going to be a great game to watch and hopefully we come out with another win.”

Shaw returned to the side on Boxing Day having missed Saints’ previous game – a 3-2 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday – through illness.

The 18-year-old was disappointed to be ruled out of that game, but says that brief absence allowed him to fully participate in a physical game at the Cardiff City Stadium yesterday.

“I think it was the right decision in the end,” Shaw said.

“I was at the game on Sunday and I thought I was going to be involved, but me, the gaffer and the doctor had a word and decided it was better for me to go home and recover for the game on Thursday. It was a good decision because I felt 100% yesterday, and thankfully we got the win.”